What Lessons Can Hospitality Learn from the World of Drag?

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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a

devastating impact on the drag queen

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community.

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With bars and clubs closed for months on

end, performers lost their primary source

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of income.

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Many were forced to find new jobs or rely

on government assistance.

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In the early days of the pandemic, some

drag queens turned to digital platforms to

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perform for their fans.

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They hosted virtual drag shows, sold

merchandise online and even streamed their

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lives on social media.

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However, these efforts were not always

enough to make ends meet.

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And as the pandemic dragged on, many drag

queens found new ways to adapt.

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Some started their own businesses, such as

makeup tutorials or drag weave fitness

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classes, others turned to teaching or

writing.

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And still others found new ways to

perform, such as hosting drag branches or

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performing at outdoor events.

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As things have reopened, we want to find

out what drag queens are doing now.

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Have things returned to normal or have

things changed?

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you

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Welcome to a very special edition of

Talking Hospitality with two T's and a

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catel.

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I'm Timothy R.

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Andrews and I'm delighted to share that we

have a full house today.

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I'm joined by my wonderful co-hosts, the

delightful Tracy Rashid and the fabulous

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Sarah Catel.

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We have quite a spectacle lined up for

today.

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A round table discussion with three

immensely talented and vivacious drag

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queens.

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From Flynn Burge, aka Linda Bacardi, Harry

Casella,

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aka Mario Kart and Steven Maugham aka

Stephanie Von Keats.

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We're here courtesy of the Brighton Box

Gallery who are sponsoring today's event.

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The Brighton Box is an LGBTQ plus owned

award winning art gallery in the heart of

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the lanes, Brighton.

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Whatever your preferred style of art, the

Brighton Box Gallery is able to offer a

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wide range of unique and local artists at

thebrightonbox.com.

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Excited to have you all here with us

today?

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So let's start from the very beginning.

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So what we want to know is what inspired

you to get into drag or let's use drag as

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a verb here.

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Why do you drag?

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Let's start with Flynn.

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I was inspired to be honest.

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I've been doing drag for about 50 years.

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I started with the likes of Lily Savage

and whatever you started at the Black Cap

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in Camden.

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And I used to do websites with the likes

of Sandra and Titi Lacam, Boy George

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Experience, some of which are still on the

scene now.

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and being quite technical and whatever

you.

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And then one day I got asked to join in on

the drug amateur dramatics group called

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the Drama Queens.

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And that inspired me to take it up full

time.

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And then I turned from just somebody enjoy

putting makeup on, being a man in a dress.

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It was an evolution and then I became a

drug week.

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And 15 years later, she's still doing it.

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Amazing.

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Good way back then.

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Oh yeah, yeah.

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Here goes my name.

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How about you Harry or Shagami Mary?

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You can call me everyone darling.

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Someone's calling me.

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So I started doing a lockdown.

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Before lockdown happened, I was a dancer

on cruise ships for like five years.

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And then the pandemic put a halt to that

because nothing could happen.

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So I basically came home and was like, I'm

over dancing on cruise ships.

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I wanted to try something else.

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And I've always been a huge fan of drag

and thought, well, I'll just give it a go.

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Screw it.

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Let's try it.

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So I spent most of lockdown watching

tutorials.

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learning about drag, going to see these

two wonderful people here.

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I saw many shows, you too.

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I believe we worked together.

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Yes, we have.

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Yeah, we have.

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Watching and learning from what the queens

are doing on the scene and kind of molding

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myself and, you know, taking bits and

pieces from everywhere, like a jigsaw and

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kind of figuring out what I wanted to do

and just taking inspiration from

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everywhere and I do it because not to like

keep it on brand, but you know, it's Super

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Mario takes a magic mushroom or like, he

gets big.

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That's how I feel.

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When I do drag, like it's like I've taken

like that super mushroom or that superstar

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and you're just living your best life.

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So I do it because nothing compares to

that feeling when you're on stage and

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drag, like nothing compares to it.

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So that's why I do it and how I got into

it.

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And Stephanie.

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So for me, I started 12 years ago this

year.

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I was mentored by a drag queen called Bet

Rinse.

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And I did a guest spots at halfway to

heaven every Tuesday.

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My first residency was at the Adbal Duncan

in Soho.

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Mitchie have gone from there.

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Then I moved to Brighton, did a guest spot

at the Queens arms with Cosmic.

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And it all kind of evolved from that

point.

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And yeah, I mean, it's an honor to give

back to the scene as well, because what we

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do is we have an open mic night at the

Marine Tavern every Sunday, which

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encourages new artists to come and have a

go, just do it and.

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If it works, it works.

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If it doesn't just keep on going.

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And for me, I think drag is obviously a

complete art form in itself.

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The message that you can leave a crowd

with is always very powerful because you

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should always utilize your own voice and

carry that forward.

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Thanks for bringing your voices to our

show.

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In case some of our listeners, and they

might, because we know some of our

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listeners, don't have a clue what drag is.

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Here is a very brief history.

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Drag actually started as a necessity

centuries ago when plays needed female

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characters, but they were played by men.

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God forbid women should be allowed to

perform for a liling in the 17th century.

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In fact, it's thought to be called drag

because of the long dresses worn by the

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actors and their dresses dragged on the

ground.

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The times have changed and thank goodness

that this is now an art form, not female

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impersonation.

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And it's a whole lot more than that.

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And it's adored now in the mainstream and

there's a staple of the entertainment

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offering within hospitality venues across

the UK.

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So we've talked about history, but what is

drag for you?

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And I'm going to start with Stephanie.

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So drag for me, I touched on it briefly

earlier on, like Mary said, as well.

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It's very electric, that feeling when you

have on stage, if you know that you have a

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room he was engaging with you, there's no

better feeling.

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I think one of my

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favorite moments actually is when it comes

to I say festivals, but pride, because

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it's the message behind everything.

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And, you know, again, you have to push

that message to everyone and I'm not

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pushing it in forcing it upon someone.

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It's giant.

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Yes.

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And it's, and it's just the respect behind

everything and making sure everyone's

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included.

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I can't see myself doing anything else

now.

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It's great.

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I mean, 12 years in, I'll be like 80s, you

know, I'll last that long, but you know,

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who knows?

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A change now, isn't it?

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Well, you know, you know, you know.

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And no offence, Linda.

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Wait, you know.

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Says the 50 year old wild card in the

room.

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What are you, Harry?

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I'm Mary.

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Ethan's fine, darling.

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I think drag for me is just expression.

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And whether that's expression of gender,

whether that's expression of arts, whether

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that's expression of creativity, to me, I

don't think drag has one definition.

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I think it's evolved.

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so exponentially now that there isn't, you

can't define what it actually is.

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I know obviously you touched on what

you're saying about what it used to mean

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or in theory used to mean back then, but I

just think like, to me it is just

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expression and it's whether, whatever that

encapsulates, whatever you want that to

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mean in your own drag, that to me is drag.

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You know, you can get glamorous queens,

their whole thing is pageant style of

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drag, you can get gender non-conforming

drag, you can get...

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To me, everything is drag really.

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Like, I know not to quote RuPaul, but all

born naked and the rest is drag.

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That to me actually really resonates

because everything is like, everything is

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just, we put on clothing and we fit, you

know, you express yourself in what you're

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wearing now.

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Every one of us is expressing something.

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So to me that is drag.

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Yeah, it's just expression of everything.

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Is that famous saying all drag is valid?

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Correct.

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I agree.

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And I love that word expression as well.

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because everyone can express themselves.

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Exactly.

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There's no right or wrong.

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Exactly.

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It's just how you express yourself.

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And drag is just like in the traditional

sense of it, it's just exaggerated

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expression.

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But it is an art form of 12.

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Absolutely.

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An art form of, and it's having, you know,

it's a form of expression.

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Yeah.

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An individual.

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So Linda, you've done this for 15 years,

Slemmon, you've done this for 12.

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Have you seen the drag scene change over

the last decade or so?

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Definitely evolved.

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definitely changed for the better, I

think, because we started before RuPaul's

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Drag Race came along.

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And now it's encouraged a lot of people,

because it's been in the mainstream a lot

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more, to do it.

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And I think that can only be a positive

thing.

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To have the courage to even get on a stage

and to be inspired or influenced by other

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people, certainly now.

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And years ago, there were matriarchs who

paved the way, and that should never be

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forgotten either.

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So it's different times, but again, there

are queens who have done it for years who

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will always help newer artists like myself

and others, give it back, help and

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encourage because if you don't, it'll go.

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Yeah.

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I mean for myself, I'm a child of the 70s

and I was brought up watching the likes of

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the two Ronnies and Littlen and Large and

Les Dawson, Larry Grayson.

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Some of them were quite bad gay

stereotypes because of the climate.

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the legal climate there was then, but

there was also a lot, you know, so Kenneth

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Williams, there was also a lot of, uh,

just circulation and, uh, you know,

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exaggeration, pomp and ceremony where I

got my inspirations from was watching all

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that sort of laughter, variety,

expression.

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And then that took me on a journey when I

was a DJ in my twenties and in my youth.

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And then that went on to me in my thirties

learning about drag, you know, I'm now 50,

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where I started and I look at the pardon

if this sounds condescending, it's not

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meant to an end.

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I see the new age of drag now.

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There's an old school, there's a new

school, there's a new school, there's an

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old school.

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There might be those queens from an older

generation such as myself, some more

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established than others, that will

criticize the young style of drag.

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All the new schools, shall we say.

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But I know that it's an evolution.

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Love or hate.

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RuPaul's Drag Race, but it inspires

people.

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And as long as somebody takes something

from it and makes it their own, if you

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copy it, you copy it and just put a

lipstick on a mime to a Whitney Houston

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song and think, drag queen, that's not my

thing.

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But if you take something from it, make it

your own and you're inspired from it and

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then you perform and you can entertain.

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I'm all for that.

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That's the art and the creativity.

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Really incredible, isn't it?

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And I think the normalising of the

acceptance as well, I think.

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One of the best things that I've seen just

in my personal life was my nephew.

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Absolutely loved Dracarys when it came

out.

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He was about eight at the time.

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And it got to the point where when it came

on the telly when it was on Saturdays or

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whatever, he would literally run to mum's

closet, get a pair of high heels and

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around the living room while it was on.

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Which I think is the most beautiful thing

because if you think back to, you know,

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when you were young, Flynn, would boys

have been able to do that?

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Obviously, I mean, this is an audio

experience, but occasionally on my

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Facebook, there's a picture of me when I

was eight years old and Stephen Hymne was

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seeing me when I was eight years old and

my next door neighbor dressed me in her

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dress.

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Is it a balloon?

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Ray and Judy Garland pinny on and

whatever.

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It's really flock wallpaper behind me.

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It's very sort of 1979.

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That's the only one that's got me in a

trip.

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I can pitch in this gallery as a postcard.

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That sounds amazing.

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What an image.

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Amazing.

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How did the lockdown affect you and how

did you survive during this period?

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Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic posed

major challenges for performers worldwide.

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How did the lockdown affect you and how

did you survive during this period when

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going to marry?

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I was addicted to TikTok.

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I just use that as a bit of an outlet.

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I used to just do home workouts.

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That's when I kind of started dabbling

into drag as well.

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So I kind of used social media for that.

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I drank my own body weighting wine every

day.

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Just been watched so much TV.

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Yeah, I mean, for me, I just kind of, it

was the time that I was experimenting with

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drag.

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So a lot of my time in COVID was focused

on that.

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So if the pandemic didn't happen, do you

think you'd have had the opportunity to

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focus on drag?

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I don't think so.

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I honestly don't think so because I think

I was in the cruise ship career mind.

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So it was just contract after contract,

after contract, after contract.

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I don't think it would have happened.

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I've always had a love for it.

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I just don't think I've had time to solely

focus on it.

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So who knows?

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I just don't think it would have.

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Why you guys?

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Ladies.

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So for me, it was a bit of a surreal time.

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I lived above a pub at the time.

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So we were literally locked in there for

that all of lockdown.

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That was quite weird, but luckily we had a

rooftop.

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So we can literally like get a bit of

space.

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I remember once we were like,

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peeping out the windows if you're watching

TV downstairs having a roast dinner being

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like, oh my God, I'm just going to know

we're in here.

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That was really crazy.

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And I did quite a few online shows.

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I got involved with the Drag Choir that

thanked the NHS workers.

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That was really good.

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A lot of pre-recorded stuff was done.

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I had the police called on me twice whilst

doing online shows because we were allowed

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to have a smoke machine blaring.

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I don't know why, but I pressed it.

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I was a bit too...

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ego and then I opened the door, it was

like stars in your eyes coming out.

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Yeah, it was very weird.

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But it was a time to get proactive.

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Certainly, you know, if things came along,

I'd jump at it.

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Raising money online, like trying to

survive.

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It wasn't great.

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I got the self-employment grants, all of

them.

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Luckily others didn't.

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It was very, very stressful trying to even

apply for that.

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But I was very grateful that I could get

it.

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It was crazy.

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you know, we got through it and...

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Came out very quickly.

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Yes, absolutely.

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Yeah.

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I mean, I think it was a chance to

re-evaluate and just horrendous for other

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workers, let alone performers.

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It feels just about back to normal.

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Before American listeners, because we do

have some, what are self-employment

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grants?

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So self-employment grants, basically it

was like a loan that you were going to pay

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back for sub-employed performers to

survive for living costs, food costs,

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whatever.

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And I think they were basing on different

salaries that you would submit for your

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tax return.

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And that's how they were basing what they

were giving out to people.

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Well, two sides to our employment before

and during lockdown.

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So.

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since moving down here, as well as doing

bits and pieces of drag at weekends, some

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bits in Brighton and some bits out of

Brighton.

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I was also a carer through the early

liberal dementia and actually worked in a

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care facility nearby here in Brighton, New

South 6th.

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With the two main parts of UK's COVID,

shall I say, in between the two, my

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husband worked at the NHS, so he couldn't

work in his environment.

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He was a manager.

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data procurement up in London.

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So he had to work from home and I was

working in a care home and all of a sudden

323

: 00:15:48

I had to stop working in a care home

because sadly my husband passed away.

324

: 00:15:53

It was and still is a bit of a journey,

but what it will save for drag for me

325

: 00:15:58

during the second half, you know, I've

always been quite technically minded and I

326

: 00:16:02

bought a green screen and when we were

allowed to even step around and we, we

327

: 00:16:07

would do these.

328

: 00:16:08

Skype, but something, you know, these sort

of online chats and then I'd upload them

329

: 00:16:12

on Facebook with certain tracks, you know,

Warner Chapel music and all that kind of

330

: 00:16:18

thing.

331

: 00:16:18

For me, what I'm coming out of it

actually, from somebody who's still coming

332

: 00:16:22

out the other end, but still suffering

grief of what I've found of the drag for

333

: 00:16:26

me, not a facade, but it empowers me.

334

: 00:16:29

It gives me a chance to know what I do

actually, makes me feel better about

335

: 00:16:33

myself and if I can entertain other

people, then all the better.

336

: 00:16:37

I think also whilst doing the online

shows, a lot of people were commenting

337

: 00:16:40

saying like, thank you for getting us

through, thank you for helping.

338

: 00:16:43

Like it was a distraction for them just to

watch something because it got a little

339

: 00:16:47

bit mundane, didn't it?

340

: 00:16:48

Like just sat in them doors all the time.

341

: 00:16:50

And then when they said you allowed

certain amounts of exercise, I mean...

342

: 00:16:53

Let them go for a walk.

343

: 00:16:59

Yes, let's jog on the spot.

344

: 00:17:03

You're American listeners, obviously.

345

: 00:17:06

Be very, very familiar with RuPaul's Drag

Race coming out of that.

346

: 00:17:09

I mean, UK Season 1, I acted Molda Wanda's

paperwork filling in for Bag of Chicks.

347

: 00:17:16

And then, no, this is an entirely true

story.

348

: 00:17:18

Me and Bag go, oh, go way back.

349

: 00:17:21

Not like that, but yes, we've been good

friends for a very long time.

350

: 00:17:24

And then coming out of lockdown and

everything else, still having the green

351

: 00:17:27

screen, I had the honor of being able to

record.

352

: 00:17:32

Lovely.

353

: 00:17:33

Miss Clit for season two and you got quite

far with that, didn't you?

354

: 00:17:37

Yeah.

355

: 00:17:37

Yes.

356

: 00:17:38

Wow.

357

: 00:17:39

I gave it a go.

358

: 00:17:40

I'm a very trying woman.

359

: 00:17:50

See, what I love about that is, we were

saying how things were quite repetitive.

360

: 00:17:54

And you know, the TV we did watch, I mean,

we all completed Netflix, like it was

361

: 00:17:59

gaming, I just watched everything.

362

: 00:18:01

And there was no new TV being made.

363

: 00:18:02

They just couldn't do it.

364

: 00:18:03

But actually giving you guys that space to

then go on social media and create that

365

: 00:18:06

content to bring, I mean, people like me,

basically just more of what I wanted.

366

: 00:18:12

And loads of people felt like that, you

know, what we serve through the media

367

: 00:18:15

generally, there was a cutoff point.

368

: 00:18:17

There was a certain amount of what you can

watch, an amount of what's being made.

369

: 00:18:21

But actually.

370

: 00:18:21

You guys then had that space to fill the

gaps that all of us wanted, I think, which

371

: 00:18:26

was a gift.

372

: 00:18:27

It is quite nice because Facebook has the

memories thing, doesn't it?

373

: 00:18:31

Yeah.

374

: 00:18:31

So some of the videos that I did

throughout Lockdown often pop up now.

375

: 00:18:35

And I'm like, gosh, like there was one

green screen thing we had.

376

: 00:18:38

It was like, I was like running through a

bloody roller coaster.

377

: 00:18:41

It was nuts, but it was, yeah, it's nice

to have those kind of memories to look

378

: 00:18:44

back on as well.

379

: 00:18:45

So the three of us here, we have a good

friend called Mrs.

380

: 00:18:49

Moore, John Moore.

381

: 00:18:51

He was the best man at my wedding,

ironically.

382

: 00:18:53

Brother from another mother.

383

: 00:18:59

Yeah, we go way back and it was his kind

of thing.

384

: 00:19:02

Even though he didn't have all the tech

kind of stuff and he only had an iPhone,

385

: 00:19:05

which I got hold for him and some sort of

bits and pieces, which Shally Vape,

386

: 00:19:10

Brighton Queen would do.

387

: 00:19:11

Basically, he would do this kimono thing

where pretty much only dressed in his

388

: 00:19:16

empress new clothes and some underwear.

389

: 00:19:18

He'd wear this.

390

: 00:19:19

No, no, no

391

: 00:19:49

If you were doing it legally, you could

actually get some money from it.

392

: 00:19:52

But even if it wasn't about the money, it

was about the sanity.

393

: 00:19:55

Even if you're insane to do it.

394

: 00:19:57

It's quite hard as a performer when you

don't have an audience.

395

: 00:20:00

Exactly, it's the worst thing I've seen.

396

: 00:20:02

Yeah.

397

: 00:20:03

Very two-dimensional.

398

: 00:20:03

You get in your head a bit.

399

: 00:20:05

Yeah.

400

: 00:20:06

It's quite funny because obviously you're

playing different personalities when

401

: 00:20:10

you're on stage.

402

: 00:20:11

And when you're talking to a computer

screen, your other personality, talking to

403

: 00:20:15

people who are...

404

: 00:20:16

just watching, you can't gauge a reply,

you can't gauge a laughter.

405

: 00:20:21

That energy is missing isn't it?

406

: 00:20:23

I think it was nice when you saw the

reactions and people putting love hearts

407

: 00:20:27

and engaging with you.

408

: 00:20:29

And then you end up saying hello to

multiple people like, hello so and so.

409

: 00:20:34

And then you're like, oh I should do a

song now.

410

: 00:20:39

It's clear that all of you are not only

immensely talented, but also incredibly

411

: 00:20:43

resilient.

412

: 00:20:44

Your stories have been truly inspiring and

enlightening.

413

: 00:20:47

So thank you for sharing that with us.

414

: 00:20:50

What would people do to support their

local drag ads?

415

: 00:20:54

I think to support local drag is to just

go see local drag.

416

: 00:20:59

Obviously with the success of Drag Race,

everybody flocks to the Drag Race shows

417

: 00:21:04

when these Drag Race queens are performing

and I go see them, they're great because

418

: 00:21:08

they're still dragged.

419

: 00:21:09

I'm intrigued to see what they can do off

of the show.

420

: 00:21:12

But I think in terms of supporting local

queens is go and see local queens.

421

: 00:21:16

Don't just flock to mainstream queens.

422

: 00:21:19

This city is thankfully so rich with the

amount of drag that we have here.

423

: 00:21:24

And you can go any night of the week here

in Brighton and to any of the bars and

424

: 00:21:29

you'll see a drag show, whether it's a

bingo, whether it's a quiz, whether it's a

425

: 00:21:33

full on cabaret.

426

: 00:21:34

There's so much out there that you don't

need to just focus on the mainstream.

427

: 00:21:38

Like, and I actually think this is

probably controversial, but I actually

428

: 00:21:41

think it's better.

429

: 00:21:42

I think a lot of the times just seeing

local drag is just better and seeing

430

: 00:21:47

somebody that you've never heard of.

431

: 00:21:49

you may never see again or you'll follow

them or whatever.

432

: 00:21:52

I think that is the best thing.

433

: 00:21:53

Like that is just, that to me is what true

British drag is.

434

: 00:21:56

Like going to these pubs, going to these

nightclubs, seeing that, that to me is

435

: 00:22:00

British drag.

436

: 00:22:01

And, you know, I utilize social media.

437

: 00:22:02

I know a lot of us do follow them on

social media, see what they're doing, buy

438

: 00:22:06

merchandise, you know, if they stream a

song or release a song, go and, you know,

439

: 00:22:10

support in that way.

440

: 00:22:12

But I think the main thing is to just go

and see them.

441

: 00:22:15

And talk to us.

442

: 00:22:16

We all talk after shows.

443

: 00:22:17

Yeah.

444

: 00:22:18

We all talk and we're not.

445

: 00:22:19

I don't think anyone here in the city

particularly is a diva that's done and

446

: 00:22:23

that's it.

447

: 00:22:23

And then they walk off.

448

: 00:22:24

We probably are all pissed with you after.

449

: 00:22:26

We're about to be on it.

450

: 00:22:30

No, and I think that's another thing.

451

: 00:22:31

Don't be afraid to talk to us.

452

: 00:22:33

Like we're not monsters.

453

: 00:22:34

Like come in with human beings and talk to

us.

454

: 00:22:37

We're exactly the same as you.

455

: 00:22:39

Like, I think it is, like you say, just

encouraging everyone and like going to see

456

: 00:22:43

people.

457

: 00:22:43

And obviously the venues that we perform

in needs an audience.

458

: 00:22:49

So.

459

: 00:22:50

use it or lose it because once venues

start going and artists can't perform,

460

: 00:22:56

what can we do?

461

: 00:22:56

Yeah, we're in a central cog in the wheel.

462

: 00:22:58

Yeah, yeah.

463

: 00:22:59

A cog in the wheel, a cog in the machine.

464

: 00:23:01

Yeah, yeah.

465

: 00:23:03

And entertainment, whether it be drag,

singers, bands, does bring in crowds.

466

: 00:23:09

Yeah.

467

: 00:23:09

If people are spending, it helps the venue

out and it helps the artists out.

468

: 00:23:12

And we do it so well, don't we, as a

nation?

469

: 00:23:14

I always think that whenever I go and see

something live, not something that's, you

470

: 00:23:17

know,

471

: 00:23:18

necessarily big stadium vibe, but whenever

I go to something that's fairly local or

472

: 00:23:21

just at a theatre, I'm like, we're so

good.

473

: 00:23:22

Yeah, we're so good at it.

474

: 00:23:26

And the diversity of it as well.

475

: 00:23:28

Oh yeah, absolutely.

476

: 00:23:30

I mean, I love a festival vibe, but

there's nothing better than going to a

477

: 00:23:33

very intimate space to see a show that it

feels like you have more of a connection.

478

: 00:23:39

It's nice, it's really nice, you know, and

you feel something and that's great.

479

: 00:23:43

I've known sign language for about 20

years.

480

: 00:23:46

And I recently had the opportunity through

just signing a number in a drag show a few

481

: 00:23:53

years ago, pre-COVID.

482

: 00:23:54

And then somebody said, Oh, would you do

Worthing Pride?

483

: 00:23:57

Would you do Seaford Pride?

484

: 00:23:58

Would you do Southampton Pride?

485

: 00:24:00

Great young.

486

: 00:24:01

So now I'm actually a signer.

487

: 00:24:03

I do it in drag most of the time.

488

: 00:24:04

It's so casual.

489

: 00:24:06

And I love doing it.

490

: 00:24:08

And that was actually one of the things

that helped me, should we say, mentally.

491

: 00:24:15

disability inclusivity basis.

492

: 00:24:18

I'm epileptic and for me to, I'm stood on

the stage and it wouldn't, if you've got a

493

: 00:24:22

huge field of people wouldn't matter

whether it was three people or 300 that

494

: 00:24:26

were deaf and ambitio or hard of hearing

in, you know, in that field.

495

: 00:24:30

I was at Southampton once and I was doing

Bad to the Devil You Know by Kylie and

496

: 00:24:34

sign language.

497

: 00:24:35

And then I spot it because of their body

language, three deaf gay chaps, the corner

498

: 00:24:40

and they're going, I'm illustrating with

my hands.

499

: 00:24:44

thank you for enjoying yourselves and

British Sign Language to me.

500

: 00:24:47

Shortly after bereavement I suffered, I

was just, I had to go stage-fighting this

501

: 00:24:52

kind of thing, pulling my own self.

502

: 00:24:53

And if something like, the gift that I've

got, whether it be doing Dragon singing

503

: 00:24:58

songs or whether doing Dragon signing to

them, if something I can do gives

504

: 00:25:02

something back, they'll appreciate what we

all do at home.

505

: 00:25:07

It's fulfilling.

506

: 00:25:09

It really is fulfilling.

507

: 00:25:12

One more question for you, though.

508

: 00:25:13

Do you ever embellish?

509

: 00:25:15

Do you directly translate or do you add a

few extras?

510

: 00:25:17

No, depending on context, I might have to

find a keyword and build around.

511

: 00:25:22

You know, I was going to say find context,

but no, I mean, it's only a family event.

512

: 00:25:29

There are certain V words and C words and

other words that we couldn't possibly

513

: 00:25:34

mention on air, let alone in a field.

514

: 00:25:40

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

515

: 00:25:42

It's really important, but we do know that

there are people listening that might

516

: 00:25:46

still construct me, might be going through

some difficult situation themselves.

517

: 00:25:51

What advice would you give to them?

518

: 00:25:54

I want to start with you, my right wing

and you being Mary.

519

: 00:25:56

Find something joyful every single day.

520

: 00:25:59

Find joy in something, whether it's, I

don't know, cutting your nails.

521

: 00:26:05

I don't care whether it's like, I don't

know.

522

: 00:26:07

having a shower, find the joy in at least

one thing you do every day.

523

: 00:26:12

And if you start to build on that as like

a daily manifestation, it will translate

524

: 00:26:17

to a free day life.

525

: 00:26:19

So find something that makes you happy,

that brings you joy, something you love.

526

: 00:26:25

Whether, you know, you're the type of

person that being charitable makes you

527

: 00:26:27

happy and you want to give back to

something or someone, whatever it is, it

528

: 00:26:31

can be so mind you, just find joy every

single day and

529

: 00:26:35

it will manifest into such a bigger thing.

530

: 00:26:38

It's something about positivity, I think.

531

: 00:26:41

No matter what hardships you face at the

end of the day, you find something you're

532

: 00:26:45

good at or find something that interests

you, take it, harness it, and just hold

533

: 00:26:50

onto it and feed off of it, but to know

this can make me feel better about myself.

534

: 00:26:56

And that's what I do every day.

535

: 00:26:59

I'd always say never feel like you're

alone.

536

: 00:27:01

Always make sure you have good people

around you.

537

: 00:27:04

always communicate where you can, always

remember that things always will get

538

: 00:27:08

better.

539

: 00:27:10

If you have a positive outlook, it's like

when you talk and you smile, you have that

540

: 00:27:14

automatic response.

541

: 00:27:16

If you just have that positive attitude,

things will always happen for the good.

542

: 00:27:21

That's my philosophy and I always stick by

it.

543

: 00:27:24

Positiveity is key.

544

: 00:27:25

Negativeity never helps.

545

: 00:27:26

I know, and as much as sometimes some

people, they can find it hard to find

546

: 00:27:32

positivity.

547

: 00:27:34

look around, look around you, you know,

find inspiration at the end of the day.

548

: 00:27:39

Life's too short.

549

: 00:27:40

And we all have off days.

550

: 00:27:42

That's just human nature, but just always.

551

: 00:27:45

Don't make it all the time.

552

: 00:27:46

There's one popular drag queen says, can I

get an amen up in here?

553

: 00:27:53

Your passion for the art of drag is

infectious.

554

: 00:27:56

So thank you all for sharing your

experiences and for adding a touch of

555

: 00:27:58

glamour and glitter to our show today.

556

: 00:28:01

We did, we did have someone in drag

earlier.

557

: 00:28:02

That's why we're saying.

558

: 00:28:07

Mary was looking way fabulous.

559

: 00:28:08

Yes, I am now.

560

: 00:28:10

Putting a sword to shame.

561

: 00:28:11

Still fabulous.

562

: 00:28:12

And there's Ninja and I like Death Becomes

her.

563

: 00:28:19

Thank you, Flynn, Harry and Stephen for

joining us on this episode.

564

: 00:28:23

And a huge thank you to our listeners for

tuning in to Talking Hospitality with two

565

: 00:28:28

T's and a catelle.

566

: 00:28:29

We hope you enjoyed this journey into the

world of drag as much as we did.

567

: 00:28:33

Don't forget to subscribe on your

favourite podcast platform and leave a

568

: 00:28:37

review if it's nice and join us next time

as we continue to explore all things

569

: 00:28:42

hospitality.

570

: 00:28:43

Stay fabulous.